What does AALC mean in SHIPPING & SAILING

What Is an AALC?

An AALC is a heavily armored ship that is capable of traveling at high speeds over both land and water. The craft's armor provides protection against small arms fire and artillery shells while its propellers quickly move it towards shore. Its shallow draft allows it to beach itself so that personnel can disembark quickly once on the landing site. Its armored ramp enables vehicles to drive off directly onto the beach or a floating pier can be launched from the stern to facilitate loading and unloading of goods and personnel at anchorages further away from shore. Also, as part of its mission equipment, an AALC carries outfitting gear such as rubber boats, floating lumber, bridging material, and cranes for bridge building activities upon landing. This versatility makes it ideal for amphibious assaults by marines, paratroopers, and special forces.

Advantages

The advantage of an AALC over more traditional vessels like aircraft carriers or cargo ships is its speed and ability to operate in shallow waters where larger vessels cannot access due to their deep drafts. Also, because it has superior armor compared to other vessels, it is able to withstand enemy fire through firepower exchange during hostile operations if necessary. Furthermore, being able to carry out landing craft support activities such as bridge building with its on-board gear requires less time spent resupplying at ports which increases efficiency during missions.